Verona Veneto Italy

…one branch running to the left to Verona and thence to the Brenner, …

The precise details of Verona's early history remain a mystery.

The origin of the name Verona is unknown also.

One theory has it as a city of the Euganei, who were obliged to give it up to the Cenomani (550 BCE).

From the beginning of the Roman conquest of the northeastern Italy (about 300 BCE), the relationship between Verona and Rome has usually been one of friendship or alliance.

In the the last decade of the second century BCE, the citizens had fought alongside the Romans against the invading Teutons and Cimbri.

The city derives importance from possessing the main ford in the area, situated on the Adige river about sixty miles (one hundred kilometers) west of modern Venice.

Verona becomes a Roman colonia in 89 BCE.

The initial success of Decius leads his army to proclaim him emperor, allegedly against his will, in the spring of 249.

He immediately marches on Rome, and Philip's army meets the usurper near modern Verona in the summer.

Decius wins the battle and Philip is killed, either in the fighting or assassinated by his own soldiers who are eager to please the new ruler.

When the news of Decius' success reaches Rome, Philip's eleven-year-old son and heir is murdered.

Diocletian is not the only challenger to Carinus' rule; the usurper M. Aurelius Julianus, Carinus' corrector Venetiae, had taken control of northern Italy and Pannonia after Diocletian's accession.

He mints coins from the mint at Siscia (Sisak, Croatia) declaring himself as emperor and promising freedom.

It is all good press for Diocletian, and aids in his portrayal of Carinus as a cruel and oppressive tyrant.

Julianus' forces are weak, however, and are handily dispersed when Carinus' armies move from Britain to northern Italy, defeating and killing Julianus near Verona in the spring of 285.

Alaric and his Visigoths, defeated at Verona in June 402, subsequently withdraw from Italy.

Alaric is allowed to escape after another defeat before Verona in June, though his army is in bad condition.

He had not "penetrated to the city", but his invasion of Italy has produced important results.

It had caused the imperial residence to be transferred from Milan to Ravenna, and will soon necessitate the withdrawal of Legio XX Valeria Victrix from Britain.

Stilicho, having engaged Alaric successfully and pursued him northward, is probably capable of massacring the barbarians with his superior numbers, but instead develops a treaty with Alaric designed to aid the former's ambitions in invading and controlling the Eastern Roman empire.

Alaric withdraws to Illyricum, where the Western court again gives him office, though only as comes and only over Dalmatia and Pannonia Secunda rather than the whole of Illyricum.

Stilicho probably supposes that this pact will allow him to put Italian government into order and recruit fresh troops.

…Verona, …

…Verona, arriving in Italy with his people, who may number one hundred thousand persons, in late August 489.

…Verona north of River Po remain in Gothic hands.

Ildibad, who succeeds Vitiges as king of the Ostrogoths, installs his nephew Totila as commander of the Gothic army.

He recaptures …

Totila defends the city of Verona against a numerically superior imperial army in the winter of 541.

Gaining control over the Po Valley, he prepares a Gothic offensive in Central Italy.